Am I an Ass? (2024 Review)

Am I an Ass?

We’re going to get to that rather significant question later in this blog.  But first, let’s check out some of my other noteworthy moments from "Running in 2024."

1. “Pop” Goes the Hamstring.  Without a doubt, My Most Significant Moment for running this past year occurred when I suddenly went from an easy walk to a near sprint while crossing a busy street because I didn't see an approaching car.  My right hamstring awarded my actions with some soreness that I thought would go away. Unfortunately, four days later, just before the end of a solid speed workout, I heard a “pop" that not only ended that workout but also acted as the first domino in what became a comedy of errors, upending what had been a rather fine year of running.

2. “Pop” Goes the Hamstring - The Sequel.  The second "pop" stemmed from My Dumbest Move for the year when I decided to run 10-miles without the inserts I always use with a new pair of training shoes. The resulting soreness on the sole of my right foot masked the growing pain in my recovering right hamstring. This was until the eighth mile when it snagged top billing. I toughed it out until I experienced another "pop." This one at 9.83 miles - just over a quarter mile from my home. Round two proved more troublesome, causing me to cancel my next two races.

3. Learning That "Pectineus" is not a Naughty Word.  Did you know that the pectineus is a muscle in the inside part of the upper thigh? Did you also know that it can act as a “protector” of the hamstring, taking on much of the work of the larger muscle?  I didn’t.  Not until I was so informed by my physical therapist. This Most Educational Moment came as a result of my recovery being further hampered by said muscle tightening up enough to limit my running to no more than two miles.

4. You Can Go Home Again! From the wonderful opportunity to catch up with old friends and family to the experience of finishing a race on the hallowed track at Hayward Field, I savored every moment of this remarkable four-day sojourn to run the Eugene Half Marathon. Amid all these fabulous experiences, my Best Moment of 2024 occurred about a quarter mile into the race when I heard someone actually call out, "Go Rick!".  Hearing my name in my home state, less than an hour from my hometown, was all the motivation I needed for the next thirteen miles. (And don't anyone dare tell me it could have been someone calling out to another Rick!)

5. Blame It on Carly Rae Jepsen.  My Most Frustrating Moment occurred five songs into February's Red Flannel 10K when my ear buds made that dreaded “bloop” sound - indicating “power off” after an engaging bit of synth-pop from Ms. Jepsen.  It meant that I wouldn’t hear any more of a really cool playlist I'd meticulously crafted for this race. My completely unsympathetic wife (who does not share my appreciation for Carly Rae's talents) put the onus me for including one of her songs. Just don't tell Dua Lipa whose "Houdini" was up next on that playlist.

6. "Mad As Hell and Doing Something About It." My Proudest Moment happened when I saw that I'd finished fifth in my age group at the 50th Anniversary of the Bix 7 in late July. Reason this one stood out is that I had been placed into a slower, much more crowded corral for the start of this race of nearly 10,000 runners. Being quite displeased over that turn of events, I successfully channeled my wrath into determination to fight my way through droves of slower runners, weaving left and right, calling out and - yes, even nudging a runner to two - to finally secure that top 5 place in my age group in Iowa's largest race. Even more satisfying was that my time was only fifty seconds off second place in that same group.

7. "On the Other Hand." Based on responses from a host of the runners on this blog when I posted about this race, my performance at the Bix 7 was far and away my Most Shameful Moment.  The focusing of my anger and having to yell at other runners to move and a few "nudges" were viewed as being way out of bounds in terms of runners' etiquette. I appreciated every response as I want honest feedback on this blog. Those comments have generated some serious thoughts on my part. Further underscored by the next moment.

As always, there's no shortage of competition in the Bix 7!

8. Need to Work On My People Skills.  With less than two miles remaining in the St. Paddy's Half Marathon in March, I experienced My Most "Are You Bleeping Kidding?" Moment. Having my best half marathon time in two years, we were coming up on the 5K walkers on the bike path. To my growing exasperation, I could not get a woman and her child to get out of my way until I yelled and swore at them. I had to repeat that action less than half a mile later. As if that wasn't enough, another walker chastised me fifteen minutes after the race, demanding that I find that first person to apologize to she and her daughter.   

Which takes us back to that initial question:

Am I an Ass? 

And if so, what do I intend to do about it?  I am a competitive runner.  That’s not going to change.  But I’ve also always thought of myself as a reasonable person.  Were there actions in both races that would have allowed me to reach my goals without creating any offense to others?

This will definitely an important consideration as I look to 2025.

As for 2024, I ran ten races, consisting of one 5K, two 10K's, three half marathons and the rest falling somewhere between those distances. None were what I considered "bad races." With the exception of our Market-to-Market Relay team, I placed in my age group for each race. More importantly, I had the privilege of meeting even more runners before and after each event. Even my injury only took me out of two races. Putting all that into the mix, 2024 definitely chalks up as a winner!

What about you?  How was 2024 for you?  Let me know on Facebook or in the comments below.  And best wishes to you, your family and your friends with this holiday season!

No running year is complete without partaking in the tasty treats offered at the Hillbilly Hike on that first Saturday in November!